Lunar
Trek
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Extolling the thumping success of the Indian Space Program (ISRO), this has further consolidated its esteemed position in the global space race and with future in perspective; SEDS-INDIA announces the first of its kind National Level Moon Rover Competition.
This calls for all the budding engineers whose mind’s eye flutters past the starry firmament, to demonstrate their aptitude in fabricating a rover, which zooms on the rugged Lunar Terrain. SEDS-INDIA takes pride in contributing to the vision of Mr. Madhavan Nair, whose vision to launch a rover to the moon bore fruit in the form of Chandrayaan-II (which has been based on a Russian design).
Some of the most challenging chores for the rover are maneuvering the rough and unknown terrain, rock samples collection and analysis, transmitting and receiving data, etc.
In this scenario, a rover’s efficiency is tested in transporting a rock sample to a designated spot through the uneven course.
Problem Statement
The rover is required to steer through the uneven terrain to place a rock sample (5cmx5cm) that it is carrying in the predefined test facilities where they shall be analyzed. The course is NOT in the line of sight of the rover’s controller/s (the participant /s).
Course Details
A sample map is shown below, which will describe the terrain to help the contestants get an idea about the event. Note that this is NOT the final terrain design. The final design will consist of similar huge craters and hills, as in the map. There will be numerous small craters and lumps all over the area. The destination can be the volcanic terrain facility or the normal facility. The normal destination is located diagonally opposite to the starting point. The choice is left to the controller to decide his path. The normal facility is behind the volcanic terrain facility, and hence the distance that has to be traveled is much more than the volcanic terrain destination.
It is spread over an area of 9m2(3x3) and is nearly covered with sand, soil and fairly covered with tiny pebbles of not more than 8 cm3 in volume (will not be higher than 2cm). The Rover starts from the 25cmX25cm starting square).The track has two heaps of 70 cm diameter x 15 cm high and 50cm dia x 10 cm high respectively behind which the facilities of 35cm dia are present where the given rock has to be placed. It also has two craters of 60 cm dia and 40 cm dia and of depths 10 cm and 12 cm respectively.
The biggest of the barriers is inspired from a volcanic terrain design and the biggest of facilities is right behind it and placing the rock sample there will enable you to win 25 % more points than what you would get by passing through the craters and heaps.
Click here to view the terrain diagram
Additional Scoring
Ample opportunity is provided to the participants to have the extra edge over the fellow contestants in the lunar trek expedition. The participant can increase his score by the following means:
An arch is present in a fixed location on the map, which will not be revealed to the participant. Extra points are awarded if the rover passes through the arch,
It is recently found out that ice was found in minute quantities on the surface of the moon. To contemplate it, we will provide the terrain with ice structures, which are randomly placed, by the event coordinators. Extra points are awarded if the rover touches the ice on its way to its destination.
Note that it is not necessary to fulfill these minor missions. The mission wouldn’t be considered successful unless the final destination is reached. The scoring details are mentioned later in the scoring section.
Rover Specifications:
The rover should not be more than 25cmX25cmX15cm in size (the last dimension being the height).
The vehicle must be powered with readily available rechargeable batteries.
The rover should be controlled by Transmitter/Receiver via a radio link or autonomously.
The vehicle and all control equipment must fit within a box measuring, on the inside,
25X25X15cm. The vehicle must come from the box fully assembled. Any expansion
or extension must be done by the vehicle itself during the competition run. (Antenna is exempted from this constraint).
A preliminary design has to be submitted before the 15th of FEB clearly marking out the area on the rover where a camera can be fixed.
Contest Operation
The participants are taken into the blind spot room where from a TV they can view the rover on the terrain from the camera’s view fixed on it. The 5cmX5cm rock is placed over it and the rover is maneuvers to dump the rock at the test facility. The rover may not be touched or altered during the run as is the case with real rovers.
Scoring
S= 10*F
–T– 0.2* W– N * 75 +D
F= 100 points
over the normal facility
125 points for placing at the facility above the volcanic terrain
For
additional scoring,
F=1.2 F and the F updated F value will be considered, in case of completion
of both the additional missions.
T = Time taken in seconds (maximum of 300)
W= Weight in grams
N= number of times it slips and touches or crosses the border line 20cm from the end of the course.
For manually
controlled rovers,
D= Rover Design, maximum of 200 points
For Further details, Contact
Phalgun –
9994798829
Avinash – 9944128348